All right, you rabid torture-fans, here's a little taste to tide you over until the big torture scene...

They pulled him up, removing his sword and dagger, and Obi-Wan saw the servants scrambling down the path as fast as they could go. Then the warriors spun him around to face the leader again. The man reached out and took hold of Obi-Wan's braid."Look, here's a leash! How practical for a slave!"

The other men laughed, and Obi-Wan was dragged by his hair all the way to the great hall of King Imilachil's palace. Although he could not see anybody sitting on the golden throne on the dais, the warrior kicked him in the back of the leg to make him kneel down anyway. Another warrior was sent to inform the king, and then they waited.

Only a few minutes later, Obi-Wan heard the sound of running feet which stopped abruptly behind him, and a girl's voice asked,"Is that him?"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness,"the warrior replied, and then the girl, actually a young lady, came around in front of Obi-Wan. She stood staring down at him for a moment, then suddenly spit in his face.

"Stinking Getran slave-scum!"

Obi-Wan stared up at her in surprise as she slapped him soundly across the right cheek. One of her rings caught and ripped his skin, leaving a trail of blood behind it.

"Your Royal Highness,"the warrior began,"the king has commanded--"

"Don't tell me!"she shouted."Filthy, crawling, snuffling--"

Not finding the right expression, she slapped him again.

"Zoe,"said someone, coming up behind her."That's my slave. Not yours. And I gave orders that nobody was to mistreat him before I got here."

"I never heard any such order,"Zoe replied contrarily, whirling around to face him.

King Imilachil hit his daughter with his fist, knocking her to the floor. She got up again, a bit shakily, and cried angrily,"Go on, hit me again! Break my neck, like you did with my mother! Come on, you son of a one-legged she-ulfa, get rid of me once and for all!"

The king exploded with rage."Zoe! How many times do I have to tell you that your mother's death was an accident! You've been intolerable ever since, but now you really have provoked me once too often! Go sit down over there and wait while I think of a suitable punishment for you!"

"Just have me flogged and get it over with!"Zoe challenged him."Come on!"

"Flogging's too good for you. You'd forget it in two days. Go. Sit. Down."

Zoe crossed the room to the great fireplace and sat down on the bench he'd indicated, holding the side of her face and looking murderously at him. King Imilachil watched her for a moment, then took a deep breath and turned back to Obi-Wan.

"Tohar-Kahan,"he said slowly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"You have a choice. You can give me your word that you will stay here until I give you permission to leave, and I will consider you a member of my household."

"He'll probably treat you better than he treats his own daughter,"Zoe called out, but a look from her father silenced her.

"Or you can refuse to give me your word, and I will drop you into a cell the way you are now and leave you there."

"How long do you plan on keeping me here, Your Majesty?"Obi-Wan asked.

"Until the tribute has been completely paid. The garrison has reported unusual activity in Getra. I want to make absolutely sure that your father is not planning anything."

Obi-Wan did not let his dismay show. King Tul-Kahan had no intention of paying the tribute at all, but he could not let King Imilachil know that, or even become suspicious. Qui-Gon would just have to rescue him from here. He could hear Qui-Gon's voice in his mind already, telling him to be patient, but there was no reason why he had to be patient in a cell, was there?

"Your Majesty, I give you my word that I will stay here until you give me permission to leave,"Obi-Wan said, and King Imilachil smiled.

"I knew you'd be reasonable. Now let's see what kind of man I've just welcomed into my household."The king glanced beyond him to the group of warriors and said,"Take his sandals off and hold him down."

*shakes head* Geez, what's with all these people wanting to hurt Obi-Wan? He hasn't done anything, and yet bad things keep happening to him. This is very good, nothing like that one deranged author who made Obi-Wan insane.... she's just a demented lunatic.

"Get the Healer,"King Imilachil ordered, then returned the poker to its place at the side of the fire.

Retreating inside himself, struggling to maintain his concentration, Obi-Wan reached out for the Force with the intention of aiding the healing process and dampening the torment. He was surprised to feel something touch his head and his mind at the same time, a channel of pure Force that penetrated every cell in his body and repaired what had been damaged. It did not happen instantly, but it was quick enough. Opening his eyes, he saw a very old woman crouched down by him, one hand resting gently on the top of his head. She gave a resigned sigh and straightened up.

"Stay here, you might be needed again,"said the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty."The old woman hobbled towards the bench where Zoe was sitting, but King Imilachil snapped,"Not for her."

Turning his attention back to Obi-Wan, he said,"All right, let him up and untie his hands."

The warriors pulled Obi-Wan roughly to his feet and one of them slit the rope around his wrists. He wasn't surprised to discover that the bruise on one cheek and the gashes across the other had disappeared as well. Even his ears felt better.

"Give him a sword and let's see what he can do against--you,"King Imilachil ordered, pointing at one of the warriors.

One of the men pressed a sword into Obi-Wan's hand and then fell back with the others as they spread out along the walls to make room for the duel. His opponent had drawn his sword and stood motionless for a single second, sizing him up, then attacked, thrusting directly at his heart. Obi-Wan countered, then spun away, and the man followed with a swipe from the left.

It was easy enough to defend himself. He'd been learning such moves all his life at the Jedi Temple, practising every day, even blindfolded, letting the Force guide his movements. It was no different now, not even with a sword instead of a light saber. They moved around the hall for several minutes, evenly matched, Obi-Wan blocking every attack until, quite unexpectedly, he tripped over his own feet and fell hard to the floor. In a moment, the warrior was standing over him, the tip of his blade jabbing into his throat, and he froze, silently cursing the growth spurt that he had not reckoned with at his age.

"Hold!"called King Imilachil. The warrior retreated, and Obi-Wan stood up, wondering whether he should continue the fight, but the king was already coming towards him, holding out his hand. Obi-Wan surrendered the sword by its hilt, and the king took it.

"Tohar Kahan,"he said with a secretive smile,"you have proved that you can defend yourself and that you can withstand a great deal of pain."

King Imilachil paused dramatically, still smiling, then announced,"You are a worthy husband for my daughter."

There was a cheer from the surrounding warriors, mixed with laughter, but Zoe leaped up from the bench and screeched,"No! I'd rather rut with a one-legged ulfa than with that filthy Getran slave!"

Stung, Obi-Wan retorted,"I had a better offer in Getra anyway! And I'm not a slave!"

"Tohar-Kahan,"said King Imilachil in a dangerous tone of voice that quelled the laughter which Obi-Wan's outburst had caused,"when your forefathers came here, they agreed to supply us with food and wine in exchange for land. They sold themselves into bondage for the privilege of living where their ancient fathers once roamed. That makes you my slave. I could crush your people at any time, but I choose not to, because you are useful. But you will do as I say, or I will slit your throat and throw your body to the dogs. Anything that's left will be sent back to your father in a basket. Is this understood?"

So that was the Imilachil version of the history of Getra. Realising his limited options, Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and bowed his head as he imagined the real Tohar-Kahan would do."Yes, Your Majesty."

"As for you, Zoe, you are still my daughter and your consent to this marriage is not needed, only mine. You will look at your husband every day and remember how your

Poor Tohar-Kahan! What if he doesn't die?
As for Qui-Gon, why IS he taking so long? He must be pretty insensitive for a master if his padawan's being tortured, then married off, without him knowing it through the bond. Oh, well. Good work, Jane Jinn!

Personally, I think that all Jedi Masters pound a simple maxim into their Padawans: Be good, and if you can't be good, then be careful!

But for now, on with the story!

"May your soul rot in the underworld for a thousand eternities,"Zoe cursed, pulling her hand away and spinning around to face her father."You son of a she-ulfa!"

King Imilachil backhanded her across the mouth, then shoved her into the arms of one of his warriors."Take her to the women and have them get her ready. Let's put these two to bed."

As the warriors crowded around, pushing him playfully on the shoulder and making obscene jokes, Obi-Wan felt sick. Bed! They guided him up the steps and into a bedchamber, positioning him at the end of the large bed, then began to strip his clothes off, one after another, until he was completely naked and his face was aflame with embarrassment. To his relief, however, the king himself wrapped a piece of blue cloth around his chest that reached halfway down his thighs, tucking it in under his arms so that it stayed where it was.

The door opened, and a group of giggling women came in, propelling Zoe with them. She was dressed in exactly the same blue cloth, and her hair had been unbraided and fell in a black wave down her back.

"Bring her here,"said the king, and they pushed Zoe to stand next to Obi-Wan. He stared down at the floor, not wanting to look at her, and he knew that she was doing the same.

This can't be happening, Obi-Wan thought, wishing fervently that he was anywhere else but here, about to be shoved into the same bed as a girl that he despised. A vision of Jenan-Kahan flashed into his mind, and he remembered her modest blush and the way her earrings had danced around her neck when she'd giggled. He'd never seen Zoe giggle. Scarcely noticing that the king had taken his left arm, he glanced up in surprise only when the manacle locked around his wrist, and discovered that the king had just handcuffed him to Zoe.

"These will come off only when I see proof that the marriage has been consummated,"the king smiled, and Obi-Wan stared at him in sheer astonishment. Then the king and one of the women pushed them backwards at the same time, so that they landed on the bed in a heap, and with screams of laughter, everybody left the room.

"Get off me, you great oaf!"Zoe cried angrily, pushing him to one side with her free hand even though Obi-Wan was already scrambling to do just that. He had a bad feeling that those handcuffs were going to stay on for a very long time.

Zoe reached under her pillow and pulled something out, then jabbed the point of it into Obi-Wan's chin. He sat up with a start and saw that she was threatening him with a knife.

"You swear an oath to me that you won't lay a finger on me, and I'll swear an oath to you that I won't cut off vital pieces of your anatomy while you're asleep,"she said.

"What about the--ah--proof? I don't want to be chained to you for the rest of my mortal life."He didn't even want to wait the few days until after the Getrans had left their city, when Qui-Gon would be free to rescue him without endangering the evacuation.

Zoe reached up suddenly and ripped the earring from his right ear, tearing it straight downwards through the flesh.

"Ow! What did you do that for?"

She scooted to one side, then indicated the spot where she had just been sitting."Put your head down here."

"What?"

"The proof, you idiot. The blood! You didn't think I was going to cut myself for it, did you?"

Obi-Wan laid his head on the sheet and let his ear bleed into it, hearing Qui-Gon's voice saying 'one little thin

They were awakened the next morning by a gaggle of servants. Reaching hastily for the blue cloth, which had somehow come completely undone during the night although he was sure he had not moved at all, Obi-Wan managed to cover himself, then tried to stand up. On her side, Zoe was getting out of bed as well, and their handcuffed arms held both of them back. The servants laughed, and Zoe came around to Obi-Wan's side, clutching the blue cloth to her chest with an angry expression on her face. Taking the blood-smeared sheet, the servants went out again, and almost immediately, the king entered, grinning all over.

"I knew I picked the right man for you, Zoe,"he said."Able to defend himself, able to withstand pain..."

As one, Obi-Wan and Zoe extended their hands in a silent plea for release, and King Imilachil unlocked the manacles, then went out again, still grinning.

Down in the great hall, seated at one of the long tables as far away from Zoe as he could get, Obi-Wan had scarcely finished his breakfast when King Imilachil summoned him to the high table.

"It must have been a rough night, Tohar-Kahan,"he smirked."You look like you barely got out alive."

"What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

"Your ear. What happened to your earring?"

"Oh."Obi-Wan reached inside the pouch at his belt and produced the heavy golden decoration that he'd tucked there for safekeeping, hoping he wouldn't have to wear it again."Your daughter was very...opposed to the marriage, Your Majesty."

"Yes, I'll bet she was!"The king and most of his warriors rocked with laughter, and then he said,"But you managed it eventually, I see."

Obi-Wan felt himself start to blush again."We...came to an arrangement, Your Majesty."

More laughter."Arrangement! That's a good way of putting it!"

King Imilachil called for the Healer, and after the tear in Obi-Wan's ear had been closed, the king commanded one of his servants to pierce it again. Taking the wooden block without protest, Obi-Wan held it behind his ear lobe and concentrated on the Force as the servant hammered an awl through the flesh, then jammed the pin of the earring through the resulting hole and fastened it on the other side. Obi-Wan just hoped Zoe wasn't going to pull it out again that night.

*****

It was afternoon, two days later, and Obi-Wan had retreated to the bedchamber to meditate. He didn't like this place. It was strong with the dark side of the Force, and he was afraid that it was starting to affect him. But his attempts to concentrate on the Force and feel it flowing through him, bringing peace, were only partially successful. Reaching out for Qui-Gon, he felt the bond between them, as strong as it had ever been. That reassured him somewhat, but he still found himself listening for the sound of a ship, wishing that rescue would come soon, even though he knew he had to wait until the Getrans were on their way. He was tired of waiting. He was tired of being patient. He was tired of being a hostage.

The Imilachil warriors were divided in their opinion of him. Some of them treated him with a sort of rough sympathy, as though they were thinking about his marriage to Zoe and saying "Better you than me". The others did not actually mistreat him, but whenever the king was not looking, they found ways to show him how much they despised Getrans in general and the prince in particular. He'd been tripped and shoved and spit on more often than he could count, and they'd pulled his Padawan braid so many times that he'd finally tucked it inside his tunic to reduce the temptation. One of the warriors had also spit in his food once, and he'd wanted to throw it in the man's face. Instead, he'd dumped it on the floor in disgust for the dogs to snap up. The whole situation was making him irritable and it was becoming harder and harder to keep his temper.

"Don't do it,"he warned, opening his eyes and catching Zoe's hand just as she was about to yank his hair. Of all the warriors that tormented him, Zoe was the worst. The few days that they had been married had seemed like an eternity

Thanks, Butler, I was hoping somebody would see the funny side of that! But now for something completely different...

Running his fingers along one of Obi-Wan's ribs, the king stopped, positioned the nail, and banged it in with the hammer. It penetrated the rib about halfway, and Obi-Wan screamed despite the Force barriers that he'd set up in his mind against the pain. How many of those short, thickish nails had they pounded into his back now? Eighteen? Twenty four? He'd lost count. Every breath, every movement, brought pain he had never experienced before.

"Give me the whip,"King Imilachil commanded. He came around the side of the table, holding the whip so that Obi-Wan could see it, and demonstrably counted the strands."Eleven, Tohar-Kahan. Do you want to tell me about Enkerra before you find out the hard way what I have planned with these eleven strands?"

"I don't know anything about it,"Obi-Wan whispered. A picture of Jenan-Kahan floated into his mind. What would King Imilachil do to her if he caught the Getrans trying to flee their slavery? He could imagine that it would be a lot worse than what the king was doing to him now. He had to hang on, for her sake.

As the king, and the warrior who was helping him, began to tie the strands of the whip to the nails in his back, Obi-Wan shuddered. They finished, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the king climb up onto the table, standing with his feet on either side of Obi-Wan's legs. Then King Imilachil yanked on the whip with all his strength, pulling Obi-Wan away from the table until the chains on his wrists and ankles prevented him from going any higher. Suspended only by the nails in his ribs, Obi-Wan hung a hand's breadth above the wooden surface, and screamed with agony. The king shook him back and forth until the nails loosened and popped out of the bones, and Obi-Wan slammed down again.

"Tell me what Enkerra means!"King Imilachil commanded.

When Obi-Wan refused to speak, they did it again with the rest of the nails in his ribs.

Coming down from the table at last, the king took the strands of the whip in his hand and pushed them close to Obi-Wan's face."Look. The strands are still tied around the nails. Now tell me what Enkerra is, or I'll whip you with this!"

Obi-Wan shut his eyes, checking for the Force barriers in his mind. They were still there. He had to make sure they did not collapse.

The whip came down, the nails ripping his back open, and he screamed.

"What about Enkerra?"

"I don't know anything."His voice was hoarse already.

The whip came down again. The barriers were starting to shake now. He had to concentrate, keep them upright.

"Enkerra, Tohar-Kahan, tell me about this Enkerra!"

King Imilachil whipped him again and again, each time with deliberate pauses, then stopped suddenly. Obi-Wan's barriers were crumbling now, cracking, ready to fall apart.

"Here, set this on fire."

Obi-Wan watched as the whip changed hands and the warrior held it in the fire. When every strand was burning along its entire length, he gave it back to the king, who held it at Obi-Wan's eye level for a moment, then laid it, gently, across his back.

*****

The next thing Obi-Wan knew, he was drowning. Then the water poured off his head and left his mouth free, and he gasped for air, groaning in agony.